Aradwen's Tale
by Lilitha-Star
Summary: An elf found and brought up amidst the dark elves. Is she ruthless enough to survive amongst that harsh society?
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes: This is my little project that I have been working on for two years now as a character in a LARP. grins She is also in my armies and this is her story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Malus darkblade or the dark elves as a race, what they do though can be taken as artistic licencing as no one really knows how dark elves would act. Sueing me will earn you nothing as that about as much as I have in my bankaccout.

Chapter 1: Assassin's blade

It was dark and cold in the darkness of the city. Towers like blades stabbed into the reddening of the sunset. To those who looked on it was as if the towers had ripped a hole in the fabric of the sky. Those that watched the sky though where the ones that where to fall to the true blades of those that worked beneath, the cities night was starting early as the hour of feasting fell upon them. The city of Hag Greaf waited for its lords to break bread with abated breath for at this hour the most danger awaited. Death at the time of feast was an evil omen and to be the murderer was even worse. Death at the hands of the faithful of the temple awaited even one of their own that disobeyed this law.

At this time a lone woman sat at a window watching the ebbing of the sun. Light was barely worth anything here and you could tell by the pale hue of her skin that she had not been in the suns embrace for many a year. It was a pale cream colour with pale silver veins mapping the entire surface of her body. Her nails where long and seemed to be painted a soft silver colour that glinted strangely in the waning light. Her hair was long and black with unchanging highlights of pale red-brown. Her almond shaped eyes where a bright violet that held knowledge well beyond the years her fragile body seemed to be. High eyebrows graced her forehead, delicately tapered and finely pointed, her lips where a deep red, like that of a rose. She was slender and perfect in almost every way and now she sat poised and ready for anything. Twin swords where strapped to several thin leather belts crafted to look like intertwining branches. She wore a simple outfit of a chiffon white blouse with a red armoured corset pressed easily over the top; her arms were protected by silver vambraces as were her legs. She wore simple doe skin trousers died black and tight against her legs, thigh high boots covered the trousers.

She sat languidly near the window her eyes lidded in contentment as she watched the sun going down, her family where safe and her endeavours today had gone better than expected. She was feeling pleased with herself and was taking this moment to relax. Not too far from her left hand was a small table decorated with cutting knives and implements drenched with fresh gore. Next to these was a silver goblet full of blood wine. She has only just mixed it and steam rose from the liquid to mingle with the stream of scent that lingered around the room. She glanced at the heap on the floor as it let out a moan.

An afternoon's work was laid out before her feet, a restful activity of pastime that all her apparent kin shared. Although she rarely enjoyed the sport today had been different, today she had enjoyed the knife, the flesh, the scent and above all the ecstasy of the event. She had loved it for the first time of her life.

He had been a noble elven knight of some great repute when she had started. Now he was spent from the screams, the passions and many other things besides. He had enjoyed himself just as much as she and she knew that if he could at this moment he would beg for more…but it had only been a diversion and if he did not survive this night he would be served to the slaves as a decent piece of meat to their thin stew. If he survived he would be trouble and so she would enter him in the arena, another way for her to make money and set her family in a position within the city. She would enjoy that event if it ever came to being but the way he was tonight she doubted he would see the morning if she decided that she needed satisfying later.

The bundle shifter slightly drawing her gaze, which narrowed slightly as she contemplated the man, rather as a hunter regards its prey.

A knock at the door drew her attentions away from the creature on the floor and lifted her head to where the sound came from. She growled low and tried to ignore the sound, whoever it was would not distract her from her current happiness. The door opened slowly with a creak as she turned back to the window and stared out over the city sprawled below. To the person that entered she would look as if she had not even acknowledged them. The elf moaned again and the sound of steel being unsheathed rang through the small bedroom. The moaning was quickly silenced as steel slid through bone.

"Now, now Malus, it's not polite to enter without knocking," The woman chided.

"I knocked," The man defended his cause.

"Without acknowledgement then," The woman growled slightly again at the correction, "It is even worse to destroy a slave that does not belong to you." She still had not turned away from the window and smiled as he answered her.

"It was annoying me."

"And it was my play thing for the night…how will you repay me?" The highborn glanced around the room and caught sight of a large leather covered, high backed chair. He grabbed it roughly causing the woman to glare at him, narrowing her dark violet eyes, "And don't destroy the furniture…that's dwarf leather you know!" In answer he pulled it harshly to sit across from her and sat in the chair staring at her. His sword point resting on the floor he leaned forward and placed his chin on the pommel glaring at her with cold grey eyes.

"That can be dealt with later." His voice was harsh now, with an edge of anger.

"What troubles you cousin?" she replied finally turning her whole body to face him. For a moment his eyes where appreciative and then they returned to being cold and hard again.

"There was an attack earlier." He grinned at her and let one hand wander to his back from which he withdrew a large cloth bound item.

"And this has what to do with me?" the woman asked clearly intrigued by what Malus held in his hands. She was leaning forward and reaching out to it and was about to touch it before she checked herself and pulled back. His grin widened and became crueler as she watched. He removed the package from her sight and leant back one hand still on his sword.

"I think you know. It was an attack on my mother." She shrugged.

"And? There are attacks made on your mother every day!"

"This on was by an assassin…of the temple and he was after something else…or rather someone." He dusted his gloved finger tips off on his armour and then studied them, "He was after the dragon hearted elf that is not truly one of us." He pulled the package back out and pulled off some of the strings dropping it at her feet. The cloth fell away revealing a simple dagger, glowing with magical energies. "He was sent after you…" his sneer became a wide grin as he leaned forward, "Aradwen."

Author's notes: Hope you liked it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Life that you remember

Aradwen stared at the blade down her nose, her chin resting gracefully on a poised hand. Her bright violet eyes watched her cousin watching her for any signs of panic or fear. Although she let none of her emotions show on her face keeping it a cold disinterested mask, inside she was screaming at herself to run. Smiling she stood and walked to pick up the blade, kneeling , her voice coming from her lips evenly and without more emotion than a tone of slight annoyance. "The so called 'assassin' lied to you dear," she lifted the blade easily from the floor and examined the magical glyphs upon it. "You and I both know that there are no sorceresses in the temple who could place such an enchantment upon this item…unless the witch king lent them one of his sorceresses." She let out a laugh that caused Malus to stand grip his sword tighter.

"And what makes you say that?" his tone was a bit sharp and far from kind…and if she wasn't mistaken was that a hint of…fear in his voice?

"Think upon it Malus! Why do the two great circles never work together?" He snarled at her and stood up sharply, a move which she mirrored with a more delicate, graceful ascension.

"That is not a history discussed lightly by anyone but the two themselves!" he snapped pressing his face as close to hers as he could. It was more an intimidation move than anything and she knew it, she also knew that it would be more than happy to try and yell in her face. She didn't want his spittle across her face and so decided to make him step backwards. Two plans of action came into her head but both of them had subtle connotations. One of them involved her foot meeting his knee and the other…well. She let a playful grin pass across her features as she leaned in closer to her angry cousin.

"I can discuss it dear," she whispered shoving him back down hard into his seat, "I am after all linked to both of their dangerous worlds." She moved around to the corpse of the slave and looked at Malus' work with mild disgust. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Her gazed drifted over him and then out of the window to his wide tower opposite her own. "He was a good slave." She said as she slid down to the floor next to the body. Her hand drifted across the rapidly cooling skin to play across the lifeless lips of the severed head, "he will be hard to replace." With a snarl that insinuated that her dear cousin knew where this was going he stood and stormed from her room. "Know this Malus," she called after his retreating form, "You'll not learn anything from me that your mother does not know." A strange melodic laugh followed the retreating dark elf from the ladies chambers.

Many hours later and Aradwen was back on her perch at the window staring out at the shadows cast by the pale moon. Unlike the sun, the moon could shine brightly down in Hag Greaf causing shadow and light to interplay and fight a deadly duel to see who would win the night. Very rarely did the moonlight win but tonight it was. It played across her alabaster skin making her seem like a wraith. The servants did not notice her there when they came in to light the lamps and clear away the days mess. This was not a place they expected to find their mistress at this hour. Normally she was in bed or relaxing in the reception with honoured 'guests', trying to further her own twisted agenda, tonight they where in for a shock.

She sat perfectly still as the shadows finally won out against the cursed moon and claimed the eerie glow from her skin. She was happy for this small gesture because it was as if the night itself was willing to play in her strange and macabre games this night. Her restlessness from her earlier encounter with the high born intruder had returned and now she sought other forms of amusement, her primary toy have been taken from her earlier this evening. She smiled to herself, maybe when the hour of the wolf approached she would go to yonder tower and claim herself a prize worthy of the one stolen from her.

The slaves moved about quietly but clumsily being only of human stock. It irked her that her most expensive acquisition had been taken from her and she watched them with murderous intent. Aradwen huddled into the corner of the sill and watched like a cat watching an unknowing prey. The humans seemed to nit wish to disturb those who may be wondering the corridors so started to light the torches from the end farthest from the door. Eventually a thin poorly dressed young girl lit a candle next to where Aradwen sat. She let out a thin started scream as she caught sight of her elven lady sitting perfectly still in the corner. She dropped to her knees instantly and placed her head against the cold stone floor and let out mewling sounds of defeat. She snarled and unfurled herself from the position in which she sat. She stood to her full height and kicked the girl across the floor with savage intent. One of the newer male slaves took hold of his mistress's arm to protect the girl and was met with a vicious swing of Aradwen's free fist.

Fist met muscles and the human doubled over in pain. The other servants left the room in a flurry of feet and a clamour of panicked voices. Guards came running up the stairs shouting at the confused and frightened slaves and kicking them to the floor with sounds like sharpened steel hitting flesh. In her own panic at loosing so much coin in flesh Aradwen took of at the heels of the running slaves. She stopped briefly at the doors and stared at the two lying on the floor. "If either of you move you will find your bodies hanging from flesh hooks before long." The girl curled up in a small ball, her frame visibly shaking at the thought of the torture devices being used upon her own flesh, maybe though it was the fact that she was lying with her cheek in the blood of the dead high elf. With a snarl she fled down the hall to where the guards had already felled one of her precious possessions.

"Stop!" she yelled as she raced to the scene. All action and movement stopped at the very call of her voice one guard stood poised ready to strike down a cowering slave. "There is enough carnage and destruction of my personal property this eve. It will end NOW!" She moved with force towards the warrior that held the blade in an offensive position, his blade glittered red with fresh gore the very sight of which brought an even darker look to the noble's eyes. As she approached him he stepped back fear apparent in his bright violet eyes. He was only a youth barely past his second hundredth year but he would not get far if he carried on the way he was. "Where is the Captain?" she shrieked at the cowering guard.

"He is off running an errand for Lord Malus my lady." He said to his credit more evenly than his posture would suggest.

"Bring him back now!" she snapped slamming her small fist into the man's chest plate knocking him to the floor, "And remind him that he runs errands only for me and damn our dread lord to the seven hells!"

He scurried off quickly and she turned to the other of her people with a fresh sense of fury. "Get these wretches up and back to their chambers, teach them to knock before they enter a room and tempt their mistress's moods." She looked back along the hallway to the room she had come from. The two slaves stood holding each other in the way lovers do. "Bring chains and whips…we have a criminal in our mists." The look that crossed her retainers face was one of excitement. For the second time this night she felt anger and fear grow inside of her. "That's enough!" she snapped and slapped him across the face, "You will not be the one to enjoy that pleasure unless you do your job NOW GO!" She turned away and walked towards her own private chambers. She had to gather her thoughts and calm herself.

Hours later as the sun peaked over the tops of the mountains and tried bravely to cut through the fog. It fell upon the face of the young woman that its cousin the moon had lit only hours ago. She was drawn now and tired her face worn with dark shadows under her eyes. The day was going to be cold and to guard against it she wore a long red, woollen cloak. One slender hand touched the cool grey stone of the window that she stood at. The look on her face was one of resignation, there was to be a meeting today. She shook her head and reprimanded herself for her foolishness last night.

Last nights revelries with the high elf had been to let off steam and to celebrate what she had managed to achieve. In the midst of it all an assassination attempt on the head sorceress had brought her melancholy thoughts to bear. The arrival of a group of her own slaves had brought up a streak of trickster in her that had resulted in more loss. She hadn't enjoyed last night at all. At least today though there was a minor chance that she would be able to salvage herself some form of wealth from the past days errors. A small smile finally graced her lips. _And if not, _she thought to herself wearily, _I can at least visit my cousin for a repayment on last night. _ With a flourish of the woollen cloak she was gone still kicking herself in the aftermath of an hour or mores worth of playtime.

Author's notes: This chapter isn't really in line with the rest of the story too much and isn't too great either according to me and my muses. Still it does illustrate the fact that Aradwen and her people are more than likely to mess around and enjoy themselves to much and bemoan about it later. Anyway lets hope she gets it all sorted out shall we?


End file.
